THE proposed Allerton Interchange, as portrayed in the Echo (Saturday 10 August), is indeed an exciting development for the Garston area.

THE proposed Allerton Interchange, as portrayed in the Echo (Saturday 10 August), is indeed an exciting development for the Garston area.

According to publicity, the idea is to provide 24-hour interchange between long-distance trains, Liverpool John Lennon Airport (via a regular shuttle bus) and Merseyrail electric services.

However, if this facility is going to be a resounding success, Merseytravel should now be talking with bus operators, to cajole them into introducing new links from Childwall, Halewood, Woolton, Huyton etc, calling at the interchange throughout the day.

It is all very well spending a vast amount of public money on a new transport facility but if passengers cannot reach it due to inadequate bus services, it will be yet another white elephant foisted onto the taxpayers of Liverpool.J. M. Tracey, Childwall>

I DISAGREE with readers who want to ditch the National Anthem claiming that it is mournful.

Admittedly, it is not enhanced by being played by stilted military bands.

It should be performed properly by a top symphony orchestra and grand choir. Haydn and Beethoven admired the tune, the former incorporating it into one of his symphonies.

If the atheist republican dislikes the sentiments of the National Anthem, then to be consistent, he will also dislike 'Land of Hope and Glory', the words of which are imperialist.

I once heard our National Anthem played on a Hammond Organ and it came over as the sweetest tune.

It deserves respect and affection.Pauline Farmer, Southport>

IN answer to the letter written by Chris Blakeley and Les Spencer from Moreton, they hit the nail on the head when they said Wallasey is the poor relation in comparison to Birkenhead.

If anything in the way of progress happens in Wallasey it will be the eighth wonder of the world (enough said).Mrs O. Hussey, Wallasey>

IN response to Paul Jones' letter August 12, seeing the best in others.

Yes, alcoholism is an illness but I still do not agree that people who abuse their bodies should be given a transplant. C. Roscoe, Allerton.>

I FIND it difficult to believe that a lottery grant of #340,000 is being paid to a group to help to fight the deportation of asylum seekers.

This is in addition to the sum of #400,000 from the Community Chester which distributes funds from lottery sales and while other worthwhile causes have been refused a lottery award.

If everyone in this country refused to buy a lottery ticket maybe the 'powers that be' would think again.R. L., Liverpool 16>

CONGRATULATIONS to the city planners.

They have finally come up with the ultimate "traffic calming method".

You take a main route into the city like Breck Road, spend hundreds of thousands making it narrower, throw in some extra traffic lights, and bingo!

You slow all the traffic down to a crawl. A goods vehicle then pulls up to unload, and nothing can get past.

At certain times of the day, it can take some 5 or 10 minutes to travel a hundred yards. It's to be hoped that no-one requires assistance from the Emergency Services.

A person could die, or a place could be burnt to the ground before help arrives.

Once again, well done.Ron Taylor, Anfield>

I AM writing with disgust about the way problem families get moved on by the councils only to cause trouble on another housing estate.

Also, to top it all, they wreck the new house they were given by the council and then get everything replaced new for nothing.

Why on earth be a decent tenant and good citizen?

It does not pay.Mrs Williams, Huyton>

RECENTLY, whilst staying with my son in Liverpool, I had the misfortune to suffer a stroke which resulted in me being admitted to Aintree University Hospital.

During the following five days I received the best of medical treatment administered with patience, kindness and, above all, with good humour.

Like most people I have sighed into my pint (alas no more for the immediate future!) and bemoaned the lack of funding for the National Health.

Like most people I had not experienced, at first hand, the conditions under which the cohort of health workers are expected to deliver a quality service.

It was commonplace to see nurses and doctors literally rushing from patient to patient in order that all would receive the attention their condition demanded.

At no time during my stay did I experience sharpness or the curtness which is often brought about by exhaustion even when nurses were forced to change a bed sometimes three or four times in the one spell of duty.

For the stated reasons I would like to publicly thank all those people who dealt so kindly and so reassuringly with me during my stay. In particular I would like to thank sincerely the doctors, nurses and staff of Ward 27 for my treatment during a particularly difficult time.

The people of Merseyside are very fortunate to have such a wonderful medical facility available to them.Paddy Hoey, Craigavon, N. Ireland>

ON August 3, you published an article about a pub in Aigburth Vale called Ye Old House at Home and the fact that it is to be de-licensed in September.

My great grandparents Edward Ryder and his wife Hannah (nee Allen) lived in the adjoining property (16 Aigburth Vale) in the l870s and l880s.

They had moved from Norlth Yorkshire to be cowkeepers and to run a dairy. On the 1881 Census I have found in excess of 100 properties in Liverpool run by Yorkshire people who moved for the same purpose, which was to provide fresh milk to the population of Liverpool.

I would be very interested to hear from any descendants of Edward and Hannah Ryder.Mrs Joan A. Blair, 35, Croft Close, Rowton, Chester>

INSTEAD of Liverpool council trying to turn the Paradise Street area into a modernised shopping area why don't they appreciate the unique shopping centre we already have?

Quiggins has everything you could ever need - from wigs to antique prams.

As Liverpool's motto to become the capital of culture is "the world in one city" surely they should be glad to have such a individual shopping centre which some may consider the world in one shop!

People from Liverpool are known for creativity so why not make shopping experiences equally creative?Miss Katy Hyland, Garston>

THOSE in charge of the city should not hesitate in getting the former Manxman back here where she belongs.

And why has the Royal Iris had to stay and rot in London for lack of money?

She should have been brought back here, her home.David E Langton, Wavertree>

I AM an MA student conducting research into women and work in Liverpool during the World War I.

I am particularly interested in women who did jobs that were traditionally done by men such as dock work, munitions work and those employed in transport on buses, trams and trains.

I would also like to know if records from munitions factories in Liverpool from WW1 exist.

If you have any information that might be useful I would be grateful if you could contact me.Margaret Reddington, 129 Penlinken Drive, Liverpool L6 3BU.>